posted on April 11, 2001 03:20:55 PM new
I, too have purchased from the site. Even with high shipping, both items were reasonably priced and shipped quickly/well.
What I find quite funny is that the feedback for USPS thus far has 60 neutrals and 76 negatives -- doesn't that exceed some eBay accumulation rule? Maybe USPS should be NARU'd for negative feedback -- LOL
posted on April 11, 2001 03:23:50 PM new
Most of this happened before I knew what to expect. I just thought, Hey....it's the post office. I didn't "keep on bidding". I went through their entire list in one night and placed my bids. Most were beaten and these few were not. I'll probably keep bidding but I'll be much more suspicious and expect the worst possible scenario.
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
posted on April 11, 2001 03:33:39 PM new
Most sellers will gladly, even graciously, combine shipping. I don't think I've ever bought muliple items and not been allowed to combine shipping.
These knives were all listed one right after the other and they probably had 30 identicle auctions all lined up. Same picture, same description same everything.
Why are they not able to combine shipping?
Please put on your rose colored glasses and give me a good reason.
You tried before to make it sound like one set was in California last month and one was in Maine last week and one was in Texas yesterday. That's simply not the case and there is no excuse for their unwillingness to do such a simple thing.
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
[ edited by horizonod on Apr 11, 2001 03:35 PM ]
posted on April 11, 2001 03:56:17 PM newWhy are they not able to combine shipping?
One reason would be because the items are all packaged individually. It appears that they are dealing with a lot of auctions, and they probably figured that it was not cost-effective. You mentioned their high priced workers ($20/hr., I think it was)- maybe they don't want to be paying them to pack some items twice.
posted on April 11, 2001 04:57:33 PM new
I bought from them, I was really pleased with the item. With the shipping cost it was $150.00 cheaper than the catalogue price for the same item. And that included the $1.10 for insurance. Made a great gift for my Mum and I left positive feedback.
I am not so sure I was just "lucky."
I wonder why if they are so bad, they get so many bidders. On what looks like a lot of junk. Who wants serrated, stainless steel knives? Buy one Henckel and you will save time money and effort.
And the "6 pairs of very strange looking shoes" auctions just crack me up.
Then of course there is the "box o' calculators" which may be great as party favors, but for resale they aren't that exciting.
Anyhow, I am not surewhy people bid, some of the stuff looks like it would be cheaper for them to donate it and take a tax write off.
Also it seems like there is just a couple of guys running the show, they look busy.
As far as the packing goes, my item was not in dire need of anything more than a good box.
Would I purchase again? Yes, with extreme care, presale emails (which in one auction because the description was unclear, caused it to be pulled.)
As far as combining shipping and the shipping rates, yes, they really do neeeeeeed, badly, to get organized and think seriously about that. Of course how cheap can "25 pounds of pens" be, after all?
posted on April 11, 2001 05:04:59 PM new
I just checked out their "everything else" auctions and checked out their clothing. Get this! For clothing, it says "some items may not be complete" and "items may be damaged, no further information available".... so... what's that mean? If you buy a shirt you might only get a sleeve? LOL! I can just imagine how many bids I'd get if I listed items like that! And I can't believe that they have bids on EVERY item! (And a LOT of it looks like junk!). Unbelievable.
posted on April 11, 2001 05:20:52 PM new
they must have a ton of people bookmarking their auctions...I can't believe the number of bids they're getting for complete crap. Are people insane? Do they think "It's the post office, it must be good"??
Just because someone paid money to ship it somewhere don't mean it's worth diddley.
posted on April 11, 2001 08:20:45 PM new
Horizonod
Since you didn't get the answer you wanted, esp regarding the combined shipping, after you had already won, I would also have to add that a neg (or three) is kind of bogus.
You agreed to the terms, you bid.
I think the negs are unfair and unwarrented. Especially the remark about the way they "lost the package."
I mean really, that's kind of ridiculous.
In defense of the PO's reason for not combining shipments? Well on the numerous occasions I emailed them on many different auctions (I only ended up bidding on one) there is one responder who had to check with his boss on some questions. Plus they auto respond etc. I am not saying that's the way to run an auction, reread my earlier post where I said they should be more organized.
BUT sour grapes over the fact that you bought chinese knives (read: crapola) and then had to boost the cost based on a poor shipping policy isn't their problem.
It's yours for bidding!
Sorry to sound so unsympathetic, but you really have to be of the "ask presale" school before you can be too affronted by policy!
To be honest, as a seller, I'd bar you from future auctions and maybe even retaliate with something like:
"Didn't read TOS"
"My product is my business"
"Scary bidder, uncooperative, contacting safeharbor"
respectively.
posted on April 11, 2001 09:18:26 PM new
I have to agree with Capriole, but I do have one thing to add.
I will not buy from the USPS again. I won 3 auctions for books, 1 arrived fine (3 books), 1 arrived damaged (pkg. as well as the 5 books), and 1 "dissappeared" and has yet to arrive (5 months ago). They are the ONLY people I have not left feedback for, ever. As far as I am concerned, they deserve less then a negitive. I am proud of the fact that I have never left a neg, and my wife talked me out of leaving one for them, though they, if anyone I have ever dealt with, deserve it. Sadly, horizanod, you have learned an expensive lesson.
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on April 11, 2001 10:06:33 PM new
Am I overlooking the obvious here? WHY is USPS auctioning stuff on Ebay? I would understand if there items were collectible stamps, FDC's, etc. (USPS related stuff) - but they're auctioning all kinds of crap! Where are they getting this stuff and where do they get the funds to purchase it in the first place? I understand when Goodwill or someone like that offers items for auction - they're not a government organization. Don't our taxes pay USPS's funds? What's next (Hey, George W is auctioning off a weekend of golf and a sleep-over at the White House!). It doesn't seem like it would be legal for USPS to be dabbling in dealings outside the realm of mail. Am I missing something?
posted on April 11, 2001 10:49:58 PM new
Billd26....for many, many years the post office has had a "dead letter/dead package" office. These are items that for one reason or another are undeliverable. The post office makes every effort to get this mail to the person it was sent to or back to the sender, but there are times when it can't be done. When that can't be done the post office has to do something with this mail.
Considering the volume of mail the post office handles every year, if even a tiny fraction of the mail is undeliverable the amount of dead mail adds up fast. For many years the post office has auctioned off this mail.
With the advent of the internet and ebay, the post office has decided to auction some of that mail through ebay. And looking at their auctions it seems they are quite successful at it.
posted on April 12, 2001 04:00:46 AM new
The ones that gave me the biggest laugh were the auctions titled, "ODDS AND ENDS", in the
"Everything Else" category.
But, I admit, I found some things that I might like to bid on {hanging head in shame}. Wouldn't it be so easy if we regular sellers could list things the same way that they do and be so successful?!
posted on April 12, 2001 04:37:07 AM new
I agree you can excuse most of the problems with buying from them, but to ask you to insure the item against their own handling of it is to admit that they are incompetant.
Here it is already in their possesion and they have 100% of the choice how to mark and pack it which is what they are always telling us is the problem when we lose packages we have packed, and they want extra funds to insure it will not be lost a SECOND time.
I would be ashamed to ask that.
posted on April 12, 2001 01:30:20 PM new
CAN SOMEONE POST A LINK TO THE PO AUCTIONS?
every 20 seconds in america a woman is giving birth:SHE MUST BE FOUND AND STOPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.................................................................
posted on April 12, 2001 08:11:28 PM new
You've REALLLY got to scrutinize their listings. I saw one for "Mickey Mantle card- 1957" and other cards. Only by blowing up the photo, did I see that it was a reprint. And not a hard to detect one either- it was stamped REPRINT right on the card! The lot was being bid up, I think they got about $200 for it. The Reprint sells on eBay for $3-4, maybe.
Joe Five-Pack (One beer short of a six pack) sees these auctions and think this is how they are going to make it big. They read all the opportunity seeker mags and figure they've found a great source. After all, its lost mail, right?
Maybe an enterprising ebay seller should make up an id like ups-mrc-collectibles and sell box lots. Would be interesting to see the response as far as bids.
posted on April 12, 2001 08:53:55 PM new
Some of you sellers have been drooling at the USPS auctions and how almost everthing has bids saying things like:"I wish 100% my stuff would sell especially with those vauge descriptions".
What's the trick? Your auctions COULD BE just as successful. Just start the item below what anybody could buy it for and somebody will ALWAYS buy it.
The sticker is that most of us don't get our stuff for free so we have a starting point to break even. They don't! As a matter of fact the person that paid the original postage PAID the PO to take the item off their hands.
I also agree that charging for insurance, especially with sky high S+H charges,is kind of rediculous. That's almost like a seller charging insurance to make sure they ship the item.
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
